How to Gain a Competative Advantage

Understanding the leading variables in your business is the key to providing a great customer experience every time.

AFL Football these days is big business, turning over hundreds of millions of dollars. The Geelong Cats alone have an annual revenue in excess of $50 Million, so with 18 teams in the league, that adds up to quite a lot. All of the teams compete every year for the corporate dollar and for the hearts of their supporters, in what Brian Cook describes as an "industry heavily weighted in favour of equalisation".

Obtaining a competitive advantage in an environment based on equalisation, places a real emphasis on the operations of the entire organisation. This means that in order to remain competitive on the field, you need to provide a memorable customer experience with everything you do off the field. So how does Brian Cook go about providing great customer experience in this heavily regulated environment? by having

Great Leadership, Great People, Great Planning and a Great Culture.

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There are a couple of other advantages Geelong Cats have over most other Victorian clubs. One is a solid community base that continues to grow and develop as a regional centre. Another is a magnificent facility called GMHBA Stadium, which greatly enhances the ability to provide a satisfying customer experience.

A quality working environment with the right facilities and equipment means you can spend your time working on the real issues, ones that help drive the business forward, while your people feel proud of their workplace and remain fully engaged. Engaged employees help attract quality people with the right values to your business. Aligning the shared company goals with your employees values is a critical step in customer experience management, as happy and engaged employees will lead to happy and engaged customers.

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Growing your business, maintaining relevance and keeping ahead of the competition is tough in any market. One of the ways Brian and his team at the Geelong cats have been able to take memberships from 16'000 in 1999 to this years expected target of 60'000 members, is to know your customer.

Identify what the customer wants and tailor your offer accordingly.

The cats have tailored their membership packages to specific customers with specific needs. Such as, non attending members, these are members who have a passion for the team but may live overseas for instance, they are unable to attend the games but still want to be involved. Understanding those needs and desires comes down to listening to your customer wherever possible, says Brian, whether that be through surveys, forums or focus groups. You have to regularly listen to what your customers have to say and adjust the key variables accordingly.

To find out more about the business growth strategy of Customer Experience Management, contact hello@jumpstartconsulting.com.au